Thursday, October 29, 2009

Weather Is Mean.

Why is the weather toying with our hearts and our closets?! It gives us one or two days of cold awesome weather, so you're all excited and pulling out the scarves and then it goes back to summer weather! kdiwefljfdjkeiew.... sorry, my anger got the better of my english.

Dear God,
Please make it cold for a little while. I really really need it. Thanks!
Love, Me.

Seriously. It's making me crazy!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

How Some Companies Stay in Business is Beyond me.

There was a company next door to where I work that moved several months ago (actually, probably atleast a year ago). This company appears to make and repair wheelchairs. So... since they are working with physically disabled people, you'd think they would be motivated to do a good job, and you know, possibly try and make their lives a little easier. nope! not these people! Originally we thought they were horrible because their parking spots were on a slight incline which meant that none of the wheelchair vans could park there. But, it gets worse. Like I said earlier they moved atleast a year ago- they have yet to tell several of their clients!

On a regular basis you can see people out there wandering around trying to find any information as to where this company went. We made a sign with their new address and phone number on it but the landlord keeps taking it down. Apparently nobody wants the people to get new or working wheelchairs.

Yet, even with all of this company's horrible behavior the drivers are the worst. The people that are hired to transport the people who need a new wheelchair or need some repairs done often just drop them off and leave without checking to see if they even got in! Then the people in the wheelchairs are left with no information as to where the company really is, and no way to get there. It's truly awful. Seriously. How in the world are they still in business?!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Forgiving Makes Us Happy

Thanks to my cousin Adria I have to decided to start blogging again. I've decided to get over my debilitating feelings that I have nothing interesting to say and that no one would want to read it anyway... although i'm still not convinced anyone will actually read this. 

I've been working on a huge project for school on forgiveness. This has been a very interesting project for me since I struggle with forgiving people because I want them to know what they did and be punished or apologize (or both... I know. I know. It's vindictive. I'm working on it!). The first section of the project was a biblical survey of forgiveness (i.e. what the bible says about forgiveness). I was  not surprised about the findings here. We are commanded by God to forgive others, and if we don't we are being ungrateful for God's forgiveness of us (Parable of the ungrateful servant in Matthew 18). Once again. Not surprised by this. Convicted? yes. Surprised? no. 

What I was surprised by was the Psychological aspect of this topic. The second aspect of this paper was to look at the academic literature concerning the psychology of forgiveness. Secular psychologists as well as Christians agree that forgiving people who hurt you frees you to live a happy and healthy life. Phsyical, emotional, and mental health studies show that when you are more willing to forgive you are healthier in each of these three areas. People who forgive have lower stress levels, and lower levels of depression. I was very intrigued by these studies. Forgiving others allows us to have healthy relationships, lives, and minds. It is amazing how holding a grudge really only hurts us, not that person. Holding a grudge interferes with ALL of our relationships and our relationship with God. I know that this doesn't necessarily make forgiving any easier, but that is where God's grace comes into play. No matter how hard it is, it is obviously the best choice.

So, that's what i'm thinking about right now. What do you think? Do you think forgiveness is mandatory in all situations? Is there a difference between forgiveness and reconciliation? Should forgiveness and reconciliation always go hand in hand?